2013-12-17 meeting notes
Notes of a meeting between Otago Regional Council and Bus Go Dunedin Tuesday, 17 December 2013 (Note, this is a draft subject to confirmation by parties in attendance) Thanks to Jane Turnbull for supplying her meeting notes on which the following is based. For ORC: Peter Bodeker, Jane Turnbull, Suzanne Watt For Bus Go: Peter Dowden, Alex King, Lynley Hood, Phillipa Wilson Peter Bodeker opened by posing the question of "what we needed to do to get more people on buses." A wide ranging general discussion ensued. Matters discussed: *marketing/advertising: **Bus Go suggested a Gobus Facebook page (which could also be used to contact regular viewers to advise of service changes) and promotional signs on bus shelters carefully designed within any restrictions against advertising *Status sought by Bus Go as a legitimate representative of Dunedin's bus users, acknowledged that this status can only be earned **after the meeting, Jane Turnbull said ORC would "use Bus Go members, from time to time, to test actions we propose or are considering" *price of fares **Bus Go suggested that Community Services Card holders be given the discount presently offered to Go Card Extra holders, namely 25% off, and an attempt was made using a "supply and demand" graph to illustrate how this could increase revenue as extra users would compensate for the reduced revenue from some existing users **Peter Bodeker said it conclusion that could be drawn depended on the shape of the graph **after the meeting, Jane Turnbull said "In the fare review we are looking at who should be eligible for a concession fare" **The alternative of an off-peak fare was discussed. It was pointed out that the Gold Card free bus travel off-peak was an efficient use of resources. *transfer ticketing ** The ORC position is "Transfer ticketing needs to wait on development of a new ticketing system being developed by a group of regional councils; that is around two and a half to three years away" ** The Bus Go position is that there is enough information in today's paper-based ticketing system for it to be made to work if there is the will; transfer ticketing on present system already exists where passengers transfer at Green Island *wheelchair accessibility: some buses only take the smallest size of wheelchair, various standards in place in fleet depend on origin, model and age of bus **Jane advised that ORC is about to develop (this coming year) an information system so users know about suitability of each bus for those in different types of wheelchairs *comprehensibility of timetable booklet **Bus Go requested that "inward route numbers", which are not displayed on many bus destination signs, be deleted from the booklet and bus stop timetables, as they can confuse passengers *route numbering: ORC intends reviewing this system as we develop the plans for a 'new network'; will seek Bus Go input **Bus Go position is that buses should have the same route number in either direction, as is usual worldwide *prams on buses: **Bus Go concerned that these are treated as an "obstruction" of a bus rather than a means by which small children can safely board and alight bus; parallel drawn with wheelchair users **after the meeting, Jane Turnbull said ORC would "talk to bus operators about their operational policy regarding pushchairs/prams" *regularity of timetable *structure of the fare system: ORC considering having only two fare zones **Lynley Hood supported this **Peter Dowden expressed reservation that this would raise fares for many people (present short-distance travellers for example) and that "more distance, more money" was a reasonable means of levying fares *Corstorphine route: dissatisfaction over route extensions, loss of ability to use service as a loop **after the meeting, Jane Turnbull said ORC would "review entire Corstorphine route in New Year (starting this week, in fact)"